Everything bears a polish and an attention to detail. The club will be open to those 21 and older, though Lawson insisted prices will remain "college-affordable."

Lawson believes Charlie Bear will fill a void for students looking to bust a move. Before last Wednesday, the closest dance clubs to Campus were Skully's Music Diner in the Short North or The Tipsy Bar and Grill, just north of Lane Avenue.

"I would sit here and watch these kids get on a bus to go all the way Downtown," he explained, referencing the weekend shuttle service between Campus and Park Street. "It doesn't take a marketing genius to figure out that the customer isn't being offered what they want."

Charlie Bear also stakes a Columbus claim in a development that has struggled to maintain a significant local-business presence.

"I always kept getting drawn back to this location," Lawson said. "There is potential for what we're trying to do here. I think it's going in a good direction."